Rare, Ancient Axe Handle Tree Used By Aboriginal Peoples is a Relative of Cannabis

Written By Mike Robinson

Aphananthe is a small genus of five species, one of which was discovered by the legendary French botanist Jules Émile Planchon (1823-1888), a man who named countless growing vines, twigs, and trees. He studied pharmacy and medicine in Montpellier and returned to this university as a professor of botany in 1853.

Before this, he taught and worked at the Royal Botanic Gardens, better known as Kew Gardens, located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Cannabis, a member of the family Cannabaceae, is grown at Kew Gardens. "How to eat to save the world," an article by their staff featuring the health benefits of hemp seeds, was just published on the Kew Website in July.